Bolivian Tours

General Information

Bolivia is a country rich in biodiversity. Its three ecological steps include a wide variety of flora, fauna and landscapes from the Andes to the Amazon. National and international travelers can explore our many historic and ethnographic treasures. Bolivia has 32 ethnic groups, each with its own colorful expressions of cultural diversity. It also boasts 1,340 tourist attractions and 300 archeological sites across the country. Bolivia is host to 66 of the 112 existing ecosystems and is one of the eight most biodiversity country in the world. Its 31 protected areas include National Parks, Reserves, Biological Stations and Wildlife Sanctuaries. Its great cultural wealth (as seen in its colonial churches, to give but one example) has prompted UNESCO to declare the following Heritage of Humanity cultural sites: the City of Potosí (1987), Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos (1990), Historic City of Sucre (1991), Fortress of Samaipata (1998), Tiwanaku (2000), Noel Kemff National Park (2000), Oruro Carnival (2002), and Kallawaya Culture (2003)

Geographical LocationBolivia, the 5th biggest country in South America, located in the continent’s heart. It is surrounded by Brazil to the Northeast, Paraguay to the Southeast, Argentina to the South, Chile to the Southwest, and by Peru to the West.

Diversity in its landscapesBolivia counts with a vast diversity of landscapes, weathers, and a great fauna and flora biodiversity within one million squared kilometers, as Alcides D’Orbigny described.

The country is divided into three regions:

Altiplano or Plateau surrounded by the Andes at 3500 msnm of altitude, the Valley and the Yungas from the Andean hillside, and Jungles or llanos of the Oriental plains.

The Andean range crosses from North to South, forming the two principal ranges, the Occidental and Oriental or Cordillera Real.

The Salar de Uyuni should also be taken into account for it is the biggest salt dessert in the world.

Unaccountable and caudal rivers and Lake Titicaca and Poopo’s river basin in the Altiplano region form the fluid system.

HistoryBolivia was the birthplace of the Aymara civilization prior to the Incas. Some of its traces can be seen at the archeological sights such as Tiwanaku, Chiripa, Samaipata, Iscanwaya, and others.

Cities such as Potosi and Sucre, declared as human patrimony, show through their historical monuments the pass of the colonial era.

Political DivisionBolivia’s capital city is Sucre, but the government seat is located in La Paz. The country is divided into nine departments: La Paz, Chuquisaca, Pando, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Potosi, Oruro, Tarija and Beni

WeatherThe weather varies according top the different geographical regions. For example in the Altiplano it is cold and the temperatures are between the 6 degrees. In cities such as La Paz, Oruro, Potosi, the temperatures reach from 5 to 12 degrees during winter and in summer they go from 8 to 18 degrees.

The Valleys have moderate temperatures, which vary around 15 degrees. Cities such as Cochabamba, Sucre, and Tarija have a nice climate, which varies from 8 to 18 degrees during the winter, and in the summer form 13 to 24 degrees. In the plains and jungles, due to the abundant precipitation the climate is worm and humid. Cities such as Cobija, Santa Cruz, and Trinidad, have temperatures around 12 to 24 degrees during the winter and 30 to 40 degrees during the summer.

Transportation

Air Lines:Aerosur domestic and international flights makes connection with almost all countries in South America and Spain.

International transportation: Lan, Taca, American Airlines, TAM Mercosur, which connect the country with the exterior.

Buses: There’s a wide variety of internal transportation that takes you through the country. Most of these are comfortable, specially the private buses which you can rent when you get to a determined number of people. These buses go to Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

Trains:Oruro-Uyuni-Atocha-Tupiza. Villazón or vs. (La Quiaca is a boundery with Argentina)

Santa Cruz-San José de Chiquitos-Puerto Suárez or vs. (Corumba is the boundery with Brasil)

Required documentationEvery foreign person that comes to Bolivia must carry an actualized passport, a tourist card valid for 90 days, which can be renewed for 90 days more in the immigration office shot.

Some countries need visa an Yellow Fever Vacun, if you are going to visit tropical places such as Rurrenabaque, the Chapare, the Bolivian Orient, and other tropical regions.

In high regions such as the city of La Paz, Potosí, and Oruro, you usually get the altitude sickness, head aches and dizziness, so it is advisable for you to take some sort of medicine recommended by your doctor, or simply drink a mate de coca or cedron, plants and natural medicine can combat these symptoms.

CoinThe coin handled today is the Boliviano, those that come in bills of 200, 100, 50, 20 and 5. The coins also come in cuts such as 5, 2, and 1 boliviano, besides 0.50, 0.20, 0.10 cents. Foreign money, such as traveler’s check, credit cards, and American Dollars can be exchanged to Bolivianos or vice versa at money exchange places and banks.

Shopping PlacesBolivia has a rich variety of traditional hand made handicrafts, such as carved objects in silver, wood, and others, textile threads, and a wide variety of textile is for export. You can also find all of these at market places, streets and traditional places as the Wichard Market in La Paz city and some turistic centers such as Potosi, Sucre and other cities of the country.

Work hours, vacations and holidaysMost of the offices and banks open up from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and from 2:30 noon to 7 p.m. Formal and informal commerce offers a wide variety of objects, such as artisan adornments, and others which can be found in the different cities of Bolivia, in the different streets, markets and other places. Holiday and festive days are:

New Year, January the 1st, Carnival, February, Easter, April, Labor Day, May 1st, Independence day, August 6th, All Saint Day, November 2nd, and Christmas, December 25th.

Credit CardsVisa, Master Card and American Express are accepted to pay services and shopping